BEC Vantage Listening Overview Teachers Notes

Description Students do an information gap exercise providing them with information about the Listening test. They then examine the rubrics (instructions) and examples of each part of the test and answer questions to check their understanding. Time required: Materials required: 40 minutes Students Worksheet 1A (for one student in each pair) Students Worksheet 1B (for the other student in each pair) Students Worksheet 2 (one per student) Aims: to familiarise students with the structure of the Listening test to make clear to students what theyre required to do

Procedure 1. Ask students what they listen to in English [e.g. TV, CDs, presentations, telephone calls from suppliers], and why [e.g. for pleasure, to get information]. 2. Tell students you are going to help them become familiar with the structure of the Listening test. Ask them to form pairs. Give one person in each pair a copy of Students Worksheet 1A, and the other person Students Worksheet 1B. If there is an odd number of students, two can work together with the same worksheet. 3. Explain that they each have some information about the Listening test. They should ask each other for the missing information and write it in their own table. Encourage them to ask using complete questions. 4. Check the answers [see Key to Students Worksheet 1]. 5. Give every student a copy of Students Worksheet 2. Explain that it gives examples of every part of the Listening test: the instructions, and a section of a sample task. Ask them, in pairs, to read whats given and answer the questions on each part. (NB they shouldnt try to answer the test questions!) 6. Check the answers [see Key to Students Worksheet 2]. 7. Ask students which part of the test they think will be the easiest and which the hardest. Point out that in Parts 2 and 3 they only write a letter for each answer. In Part 1 they write words or numbers. Candidates often find Part 1 the most challenging part, because they need to write words they hear and must spell the answers correctly. Emphasise that they will only be expected to write everyday words and common business words. 8. Suggest that students try hard to learn the spelling, as well as the meaning, of new words that they learn.
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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Teachers Notes

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Answer Keys

Key to Students Worksheet 1 The complete table is as follows: Number of times each recording is heard: Accents: Percentage of total marks for Listening: Time to read the questions before hearing each recording? Total length of Listening paper: Possible to work out right answer without understanding the recording? Number of parts: Total number of questions: What to write for Part 1: What to write for other parts: Number of marks for each question: Copy answers onto answer sheet? twice a mixture, e.g. British, American, New Zealand, Australian and South African 25% Yes About 30 minutes, plus an extra 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet. No 3 30 One or two words or a number 1 letter for each question 1 Yes

Key to Students Worksheet 2 Part 1 1. 3 2. 4 3. 1 or 2 4. Probably not, as theres little chance of guessing correctly 5. No write the exact words you hear that provide the answer, without changing them in any way 6. Yes, but candidates arent tested on unusual words, or ones that are difficult to spell 7. Yes, e.g. a singular subject needs a singular verb 8. No that might be an answer to When item(s) ordered 9. No although it fits, the answer is never more than two words long

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Answer Keys

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Part 2 10. 2 (the first section is for questions 13-17; the next is for 18-22) 11. 5 12. Twice 13. No 14. Yes, e.g. one in each section might have the answer C, but the two Cs will refer to different phrases 15. Yes use a letter that you havent used for another answer in the section

Part 3 16. 8 17. No the questions always follow the order of the recording 18. Yes theres a one-in-three chance of getting it right

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Answer Keys

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Students Worksheet 1A

Information about the Listening paper Take turns with your partner to ask for information about the Listening paper. Ask questions about the points on the left. Fill in the spaces with information that you get from your partner.

Number of times each recording is heard:

Accents:

a mixture, e.g. British, American, New Zealand, Australian and South African

Percentage of total marks for Listening:

Time to read the questions before hearing each recording?

Yes

Total length of Listening paper:

Possible to work out right answer without understanding the recording?

No

Number of parts:

Total number of questions:

30

What to write for Part 1:

What to write for other parts:

1 letter for each question

Number of marks for each question:

Copy answers onto answer sheet?

Yes

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Students Worksheet 1A

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Students Worksheet 1B

Information about the Listening paper Take turns with your partner to ask for information about the Listening paper. Ask questions about the points on the left. Fill in the spaces with information that you get from your partner.

Number of times each recording is heard:

twice

Accents:

Percentage of total marks for Listening:

25%

Time to read the questions before hearing each recording?

Total length of Listening paper:

About 30 minutes, plus an extra 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet.

Possible to work out right answer without understanding the recording?

Number of parts:

Total number of questions:

What to write for Part 1:

One or two words or a number

What to write for other parts:

Number of marks for each question:

Copy answers onto answer sheet?

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Students Worksheet 1B

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Students Worksheet 2

You will read the instructions and a section of each part of the Listening paper. Under each section, there are some questions about that part. Answer the questions.

PART ONE Questions 1 12 You will hear three telephone conversations or messages. Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below. You will hear each recording twice

Conversation one (Questions 1 4) Look at the form below. You will hear a man calling a computer supplier.

HILLS PC SUPPLIES Customer Services Telephone Message Callers name: Client: Item(s) ordered: Order no./date: Notes: James Firth Allen and Brown Ltd (1) HPCO2345 / 12.03.09 order was delivered late by the (2) and was supplied without (3) Action: call to apologise and discuss (4)

1 2 3 4 5

How many recordings will you hear for this part? How many questions are there on each recording? How many people are you likely to hear in each recording? If you dont know the answer, should you guess? Do you think you should write words that mean the same as ones that you hear, or the same words?

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Students Worksheet 2

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6 7 8 9

Must the words you write be spelt correctly? Should your answer fit the notes grammatically? Is 13th July a possible answer to number 1? Is company that delivers goods a possible answer to question 2?

PART TWO Questions 13 22

Section One (Questions 13 17) You will hear five short recordings. Five people are talking about project management. For each recording, decide what action the speaker is recommending. Write one letter (A H) next to the number of the recording. Do not use any letter more than once. You will hear the five recordings twice.

13 14 15 16 17

A B C D E F G H

defining objectives tightly planning the schedule carefully ensuring the plans have some flexibility handing over some tasks to other team members ensuring the team is motivated dealing with problems promptly arranging regular status meetings keeping in constant e-mail contact with tea

10 11 12 13 14 15

How many sections are there? How many recordings are there in each section? How many times will you hear each recording? Is it possible that two questions in the same section have the same answer? Is it possible that two questions in different sections have the same answer? If you dont know the answer should you guess?

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Students Worksheet 2

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PART THREE Questions 23 30 You will hear a radio interview with Donald White, the author of a book about running board meetings. For each question 23 30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer. You will hear the recording twice.

23

According to White, what do most people think happens at board meetings? A B C Participants discuss the companys future in a creative way. Participants tell each other how successful the company is. Participants compete with each other to gain more power.

24

What does White think is the key to having a successful board meeting? A B C inviting the right people to the meeting choosing a chair who handles the paperwork efficiently ensuring people are able to prepare for the meeting

16 17 18

How many questions are there on this recording? Could the answer to number 24 come before the answer to number 23? If you dont know the answer, should you guess?

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BEC Vantage Listening Overview Students Worksheet 2

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